hello

one of my dancers age 11 was asked to do a pohotoshoot for commercial jumps on the beach as she has fenominal jumping skills. So that was great so was offored 100 euro to do the shoot at the beach and he offored to make some more shots at different locations that day for a portfolio so he could put her in to his portfolio for clients.

Then he said the pictures couldnt only be sold to clients wenn she put her akkoord to them. So he came over and showed some of his photo's of girls.. and Then I started to worry..

he said his models schould be age 10 to 25 not older.
I was why commercial has large range of ages...

Then I saw pictures of 12/13 year old dressed way to old for their age, and I was always to believe that commercialphoto's from kids, where kids looking their age.. so a 12 year old would look like an 12 year old and not dressed in hotpants and high overknee socks.

Then after fist photshoot he come by and brought a lot of presents for her.. designer bag and a lot new clothes.
And i was like why is that?

And then he took her on a second photoshoot with her mom, stayed 2 hours made few pictures and gave her 90 euro.
Then he called her back and said he wanted to pay foir her new solocostume, so he ended up paying 400euro on that.

And then month later he invited her and her mom to go shopping in Germany, (we live in the netherlands)
and he bought her so many clothes, and jewerly, and even wanted to buy her an ipod. And spended so much money about 300 euro. And no pictures where taken that day.

It worries me so much that he has spend like 1.000 euro on her for the past 6 months! and has only had 2 photoshoot's, and never asked for permission to use a picture. So he cant make money of selling her pictures as he said, so why is he spendig so much money.

I have a little niece who is 8 years old and is modeling for Vingino and other great clothing lines I know that the girls get great money wenn hired. But i know they are with an agency, and wenn she get paid, we know witch client hires her, and what purpose the pictures have, and sometime's wenn she i lucky she can do a Tv commercial.
But that is so different to the stuff that is happening with my 11 year old dancer.

i talked to her mom and explained my worrie's. She says well i am with her al the time, so nothing happends.. But i am wondering, what if it is really wrong, and he does have bad intensions, and my dancer gets older and in to puberty... and not listeing to her mom all the time.

I am so worried, does any one in the modelingbuisnes
has on opinion about this, or can tell me waht they think about him spending so much money ond this child for no obvious reason.

please let me know what you think about this.

greatz marcia

Hi,

After reading what you have told us, I can only say if I were in your position I would also be deeply concerned. There are a lot of 'red flags' here. While his gift giving and invitations for shopping trips -may- be innocent-these behaviours are also classic techniques used by people who have bad intentions as well. I am glad you aren't ignoring that.

Reading your words-it seems to me that your instincts are telling you that something is not right here-I've learned that listening to your instincts is usually a wise thing. At least it opens the door to asking questions, really thinking about what is going on and paying attention to the situation this child is in.

I am not in the modeling industry and have -no- experience with how that world works, but I would think that extravagant gifts are not a usual part of that profession when working with a model who is simply part of a photographer's portfolio. Like you said-Why would he spend so much money without any return? Buying her presents is not going to make her more or less marketable as a model and if that is his only interest-then...why?

I would ask myself-is this expected behaviour in this situation? Your post leads to me believe that it is not. I would also ask-what is known about this photographer's background? Does he just have pictures or has any of his models actually been used in commercial areas? Can his other model's be contacted to find out their experience? What agencies does he work with? The more that is known the better.

I am glad you have expressed your concerns to her mother. I hope that she does realise-it only takes a couple minutes of her attention to be somewhere else for something to happen. I genuinely hope that she will remain vigilant and keep her daughter safe. No amount of money in the world, no amount of pretty clothes and exciting times are worth the risk of something unwanted happening.

I would recommend you keep checking in with your dancer-keep her talking about her experiences with her photo-shoots and other 'trips' and gifts. Secrecy is the best friend of those with bad intentions. You dont need to interrogate her just friendly chats. Keep the lines of communication open with her mother.

I sincerely hope the fears are groundless.
My best wishes to you and your dancer.

I would say that as her dance instructor, you really have no standing in this issue, particularly if her parents accompany her to all the shoots. This is between her, her parents and the photographer.

What you call an akkord (accord in English) in the photographic profession is called a "Model Release" which must be signed by the model; or if underage, by a parent and legal guardian. These are standard forms to protect the photographer and the model from unauthorized use of the photos and which define the financial considerations which each follows. (Photographer buy these things by the pad or draw up their own with a lawyer.) It is a short form of a contract. If I, as a photographer shot someone for any reason other than a sale to the individual or her parents/guardians, I got a model release defining how I could use the photos, what the payment would be. They are mutually agreed upon by both parties.

Payment for services is common. So is providing clothing if it is fashion photography. I'd wonder about the Iphone etc, but that should be the parents concern, not yours, though you are certainly free to express you views on the subject (be prepared to have them ignored.)

There is a very big market for childrens' fashion photos...for catalogs, magazines, static displays, point of purchase displays. Anytime you see a child...or any person for that matter in an advertisement or non-news photos, there was doubtless professional photographers involved and any of them worth their salt had contracts defining who does what to whom and how much each gets paid. News stories are different, neither payment nor a model release is required for a news item. At least under US Law. Most of Europe has similar laws.

Jon

I understand that getting clothes for a shoot would be normal,
but they are not for a photoshoot. Their just plan presents addidas suits, practice wear, winterjackets etc.

I know its not my bussnis.
Her mother and I run my danceschool together,
so the child is with me 4/5 days a week.
So we have a really close connection together.
Her parents deforced about 2 months ago, and she is still
looking for a new house and stuff and I am justed concerned
about it and wanted to see how other people look to it.
(she has so much going on, I just want to wtach out I ques)

She hassn't sgned the agreement for the pictures yet, he is still saying its coming the next time.